Subject-Specific Self-Concept and Global Self-Esteem Mediate Risk Factors for Lower Competency in Mathematics and Reading

Jeffrey M. DeVries, Carsten Szardenings, Philipp Doebler and Markus Gebhardt
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Jeffrey M. DeVries: Center for Research on Education and School Development, TU Dortmund University, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
Carsten Szardenings: Faculty of Statistics, TU Dortmund, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
Philipp Doebler: Faculty of Statistics, TU Dortmund, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
Markus Gebhardt: Faculty of Human Sciences, Universität Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany

Social Sciences, 2021, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Self-concept and self-esteem are strongly tied to both academic achievement and risk factors for lower academic achievement. The German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) provides large-scale representative longitudinal data for mathematics, reasoning as well as risk factors, self-concept and self-esteem. Based on measurements in grades five to nine, this paper produces theory-based partially mediated latent growth models with multiple indicators and mediators. This includes the predictors of special education needs (SEN) status, socioeconomic status (SES), reasoning ability, gender, and school track, with both global self-esteem and subject-specific self-concept as mediators. Significant mediatory relationships are found for SEN, gender, reasoning ability, and school track on grade 5 math and reading competence, but neither direct nor mediated effects on rate of change were found. Implications for researchers and educators are discussed.

Keywords: self-concept; self-esteem; special education needs; gender; mediation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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